Sheep yoke



B. ISAAC SHEEP YOKE Sept. 28, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 17, 1952Fig.4

Boyd Isaac INVENTOR.

may Wm by? an B. ISAAC SHEEP YOKE Sept. 28, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJan. 17, 1952 Boyd Isaac INVENTOR.

BY yaw 3% B. ISAAC SHEEP YOKE Sept. 28, 1954 Filed Jan. 17 1952 3Sheets-Sheet 3 w dm. m m a n MM M B Patented Sept. 28, 1954 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE SHEEP YOKE Boyd Isaac, Jordan, Mont.

Application January 17, 1952, Serial No. 266,817

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in safetyattachments for animals necks and the primary object of the presentinvention is to provide a device placeable about the neck of a sheep toprevent the sheep from passing between adjacent wires of a wire fence orunder the lower wire of a wire fence.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a sheepyoke that may be quickly and readily applied to or removed from the neckof a sheep in a convenient manner and which will prevent a sheep frompassing through or under a wire fence, thereby retaining the wool of thesheep in proper condition for shearing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sheep yokethat is adjustable in circumference to fit the necks of sheep of variousizes in a comfortable manner.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a sheep yokethat is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable inuse, light in weight, inexpensive to manufacture, small and compact instructure, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which thesame is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the planeof section line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the prongs shown attached tothe ring member of Figures 1, 2 and 8;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the prong member in modified form;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the invention in modified form;

Figure 7 is a side view of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, showing theinvention in further modified form;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the prong member in modified form;

Figure 10 is a plan view of another form of the present inventionemploying prongs such as shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the present invention in stillfurther modified form;

of the Figure 12 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of the yoke inadditionally modified form;

Figure 13 is an elevational view of the invention in modified form; I

Figure 14 is a side view of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is an enlarged View of Figure 13, partly in section and partlyin elevation; and

Figure 16 is a perspective view of the prongs shown attached to thestrap of Figures 13, 14 and 15.,

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly toFigures 1-4, inclusive, wherein there is disclosed one form of thepresent invention, the numeral Ill represents a ring member composed offour arcuate metallic sections I2, l4, I6 and 18 that are arranged toform a ring. The ends of adjacent sections overlap each other and areremovably secured together by fasteners 20.

The fasteners 22 securing the overlapping ends of the section l2 withthe sections 14 and it are removable to permit the device to be expandedfor placement over the neck of a sheep.

One side edge of the section M is provided with a flange 24 that engagesone side edge of the section It and one edge of the section It isprovided with a flange 26 that engages one side edge of the section l4.The section 52 is also provided with a flange 28 on one side edge thatengages one side edge of the section It and the section [B is providedwith a flange 30 that engages one side edge of the section I2.

The central portion of each section [2, l4, l6 and I8 is forced radiallyoutwardly with the two prong forming parts 32 and 34 pressed intoengagement and held in contacting juxtaposition by fasteners 36. AV-shaped notch 38 is provided in each part 32 and 34 to form hooks 46and prongs 42.

The ring member In may be formed of arcuate sections 12a that aresimilar tosections I2, [4, I6 and 18 with the exception that sectionsI2a are void of side flanges such as 24, 26, 28 or 36. The sections 12aare provided with radially projecting prongs 42a similar to prongs 42.

Reference is now directed to Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 wherein there isdisclosed the prongs 42b that are formed from substantially V-shapedmetallic members 44 whose ends are turned outwardly to form flanges 46.The members 44 are formed with V-shaped notches 48 in each of their legportions in order to define the prongs 4211.

A flexible strap 50 of canvas or the like supports the members 44 andthe flanges 46 are secured to the strap 50 by rivets or the like 52.

One end of the strap may support a buckle 54, as shown in Figure 6, thatwill receive the other end of the strap, or the ends of the strap may beadjustably connected through the medium of snap fasteners such aslongitudinally spaced female fasteners 56 or apertures provided in oneend portion of the strap that will selectively receive a male fastener53 on the other end portion of the strap, as shown in Figure 8.

Whereas the members 44 on the strap 50 are positioned to diametricallyopposite each other, the yoke 5012 includes four members Ma that aredisposed in circumferentially spaced relation as shown in Figure 10. Theends of the strap 501) may be connected by a buckle arrangement as shownin Figure 6 or by fasteners such as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 12 represents a modified means for adjustably connecting the endsof the strap together. In this embodiment of the invention, the strap59c supports prong members Mb. One end of strap 50c supports a pluralityof longitudinally spaced rings $30 for selectively engaging a springclip 82 at the other end of the strap, whereby the circumference of thestrap may be varied.

Attention is next directed to Figure 11 wherein there is disclosed thesheep yoke in further modifled form. In this embodiment, the numerali55- represents an elongated wire member that is bent medially its endsto provide end portions 100 and ificl that are twisted together.

The ends of portions Mic and lfld are bent laterally to form projectionsTil and i2, and the parts or the wire Ilia between the end portions 100and Mid are bent outwardly into arcuate portions Hi and 76 that togetherform a ring member '18.

In practical use of the present invention, in either form described, thering members are placed over the neck of a sheep and the radiallyprojecting prongs will prevent a sheep from crawling under the lowerwire of a fence or between adjacent wires of a fence, thereby retainingthe wool of the sheep in proper condition for shearing.

Figures 13, 14, 15 and 16 show the invention in modified form. In thisembodiment, the numeral 2% represents a flexible strap or belt having abuckle 292 and tongue 2% at one end and a plurality of longitudinallyspaced apertures 205 r at its other end for selectively receiving thetongue. A loop 208 on the buckle holding end of the strap receives theend of the strap having the apertures.

The prongs 2 I 0 used in this form of the invention comprise V-shapedmembers 212 having laterally projecting hooks or juxtapositioned lugs214 at their joined ends.

The free ends of the limbs forming the prongs 210 are turned outwardlyto form flanges 213 each of which is formed with a pair of spacedparallel slots 2l8.

The strap 200 extends back and forth through the slots 219 in order toretain the prongs on the strap and these prongs project radiallyoutwardly from the strap when the latter is engaged about the neck of asheep.

Although the various prongs described are referred to as beingconstructed of metallic material, obviously these prongs could beconstructed of plastic, wood or the like.

. Having described the invention, what claimed as new is:

A sheep yoke comprising a ring member adapted to embrace the neck of asheep, and a pair of diametrically opposed prongs projecting radiallyoutwardly from said ring member, said prongs each including a V-shapedmetallic member having outwardly turned lateral, flat flanges atcorresponding ends thereof, each of said flanges having a pair of spacedparallel slots therein, said ring member being laced through said slots,each V-shaped member comprising a pair of flat sides diverging sidewisetoward said corresponding ends to space the flanges apart, said sidesbeing connected together at their other ends and having notchedlongitudinal edges forming at said other ends a hook.

RCEQI'ERCCS Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 146,770 Mersereau Jan. 27, 1874 752,083 Lear Feb. 16,190% 948,407 Ballard Feb. 8, 1910 1,091,414 Williams Mar. 24, 19141,122,587 Grady Dec. 29, 1914 1,227,383 Carpenter May 22, 1917 1,347,352Ricks July 20, 1920 1,403,956 I-Iobson Jan. 17, 1922 1,718,728 BaduraJune 25, 1929

